Update ... here's Saul (their youngest brother) and his new mom, Andrea!

It’s been quite the ride – and difficult to communicate without the internet in our home (which we hope to get soon). Thus, the delay in information here – so let me fill you in a bit. John’s doing much better after his bicycle accident / broken rib / punctured lung incident. He’s been doing the final packing, meeting with attorneys, getting income taxes ready, has gone back to work, and is doing errands like taking Louie to the vet so he has a certificate to fly and enter this country. Talk about frustrations and disappointments! We’ve had our share, believe me – but we haven’t lost our zeal for this adventure. Our disappointments have been put to the side and have actually more so instilled the fact that we want to be here, no matter who is or who is not behind us. We know we’re called to this for many reasons, so we choose to look only forward. Here’s what’s happening since the last post:

• John (and Louie) are flying in Thursday. It’s 10 days earlier than planned, yet such good news! I miss them both desperately, and the boys need the family to be whole (not just me here).
• John will receive a team of about 20 people on Feb 9th … and they’ll work both on projects in Managua and also in Leon. This will be the first of many teams John will facilitate for Forward Edge International … with whom we’ve shared much in the past 7 years. He’s continuing on in a different capacity / I’m fading to the background, but will support him (and FEI too) however I am able.
• We’re living in the house, no furniture in many rooms but we have beds and a dining room table (and a “sofa” of sorts, which is more like a chain of chairs in an airport. Hey, it works!)
• My rendition of gallo pinto is not up to snuff according to the boys. I will need some cooking lessons from Lina and Leyda (the ladies in the pastor’s family who have hosted teams for years). They’re GREAT cooks.
• Nahum and Gener’s youngest brother (Saul) is living with us until his adoption to a family in Indiana is complete. His new mom, Andrea, is staying with us now also – will be leaving on Friday. She’s been a tremendous blessing and help to me in getting the house set up. It is our plan to keep the boys connected via communication as they are very connected in heart!
• School beings on Monday and the boys are a little nervous about it as they don’t know anyone there and probably assume they’re the outsiders looking in. They’re affable and intelligent, and soon they will say, “Did I really ever think that?”

Factoids of life here:

• Traffic lanes are simply suggestions (and so are stop signs).
• Life is slow here, except traffic.
• Being so much closer to the equator (than Portland, Oregon), every day the sun comes up at the same time and sets at the same time.
• There are no dishwashers (except our hands).
• Clothes are dried on the clothesline during this season (until the rains come and make that impossible).
• People are extremely friendly and kind (except they seem to be transformed when they get behind the wheel of a car). Sheesh. Every man for himself, and elbows flinging to the sides – GET OUT OF MY WAY!! It’s a mind-warp – rather like becoming invisible or thinking you’re invisible (you know, like picking your nose and thinking no one is watching (but they are). Hahahaha.

Thank you for your support of every kind. We appreciate your help financially and your prayers for this venture. Really, it would not be as possible or as fun without your help. The boys have had their eyes WIDE open with wonder and awe to hear that people are helping (I guess they thought we were cash cows) … so it’s been a privilege to share this with them and thus teach them the value of giving and not just receiving. We’ll instill that in other ways too, but for now – please know that they’re aware and they’re thankful and it’s our plan to mould them into givers.

Bless you all – please stay in contact via email. You will be our “wick to reality” – until this reality is wholly ours. Our hearts are with our family and our friends, and if that is you then know we’re thinking about you a lot! Write to schedule a visit … we’ll need to calendar it!
We send love and prayers to and for you.

Meet Josiel

I want to introduce you to Josiel Hernandez. He is the eldest son of Pastor Ricardo and Leyda ... who are hosting us until our home is ready. He is a chef ... a friend ... and he helped me in Mercado Oriental. It's a scary place to many, but hey ... when you have a guy like Josiel ... why should I be scared! He helped me a LOT with purchases and protection and direction. Thanks, Josiel!

Pictures now ... words later

They arrived Managua from Matagalpa on Saturday after a 9-hr bus ride. From left to right they are: Nahum (16), Gener (15), Nelson (18), Rigoberto (9) and Noel (55).

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Nahum, Gener y nuestro carro (hoy) ...

In order ... Nahum in the orange shirt / Gener in the grey shirt / and nuestro carro es rojo. Me gusta mucho los tres. Adios~

No new pictures, but lots of updates ...

Nica time is like no other, but then again - there has been a lot of things that have happened in a week. The pastor's family has helped me accomplish this, and I am very grateful to them. So far,

• We rented a house,
• Bought a stove, refrigerator, washer/dryer & microwave
• Bought 3 beds (guest bed yet to come after we measure room for size of bed),
• Went to Mercado Oriental (like a open-air market in a bad part of New York, which was very fun) and bought glasses, pots/pans and a few household items after we bought the beds there.
• Got a Price Smart (Costco card),
• Bought a phone,
• Will sign papers and complete purchase of the car tomorrow :).

We hope to move into the house within the week. It is totally fenced, has 4 bedrooms / 4 baths / 3 stories / maid's quarters (not!) and a beautiful yard with 6 coconut trees, mandarin oranges, guava, avocado & bananas. Amazing! We share a "guard" with the neighbors, and there is a gate between the two backyards because the guard is also is the gardener. It's weird to think we have this kind of help, but it helps the local economy and also helps us.

Nahum and Gener are doing well ... we are studying English and Spanish together (one at a time with me, or Gener would do all the talking for Nahum). I am also seeing how far they are in math by giving them division problems and seeing how they solve them (how they think). It's amazing how you can communicate with your hands and half-words and a little grunting hahahahaha.

They are very different from each other, and both very good young men. You can see the smiles on their faces, in their eyes and also in their hearts. I think they sleep with smiles, really, I do. I don't know exactly when school begins for them. I'm sure someone will tell me hahahaha. I don't want to be a pushy North American and ask, so ... I'll let you know when I know.

John fell and cracked broke his rib and punctured his lung last night on the way home from work. Today is his birthday. No cake - just Vicodin. This is the third bicycle accident, so I think his biking days are over for quite a while, as the roads here are horrible here and the drivers are worse. Car vs. bike = car wins. I don't want that. We need John with us. We talked with (and saw) John last night and this morning via Skype ... the boys almost crawled into the computer to see him and were amazed at technology. They will be learning a lot directly and indirectly. We realize and are thankful for the opportunity and responsibility entrusted in us to take them to maturity and give them the tools they need to succeed.

I'll stop now and try to figure out how to load the new pictures on this computer and hopefully NEXT TIME you will see them at the bus station (four hours waiting, bus exhaust, noise, vendors constantly calling out their wares, "Pollo pollo pollo" (or whatever they were selling) very rapidly ... it was an experience of sight, sound and smells all at once.

More later ... I've GOT TO figure out the camera software so you can get a better idea than just words. Too bad you can't smell the smells and feel the heat and hear the sounds.

Voy a escribirte despues. Con mucho amor.

Changes ...

Though you see our boys in this picture, it was actually taken late in Sep 2007. I haven't seen them since. Nahúm and Gener will now arrive Saturday instead of Thursday - this is the first change. It’s a difference of two days … more time to for me to rest and look for a house, car, etc. Their youngest brother, Saul, is also in this picture. After spending Christmas vacation in Indiana with his adoptive family, he arrived in Managua today with his adoptive mother. The adoption isn’t going quickly (at all), so the boys will be reunited for a time until that process is complete. It will be good for them to see each other. The fracturing of family has been difficult on them, beginning with the death of their mother (and being sent to the orphanage) and now being separated from Saul. I pray this time together will be good for them – rather like “weaning off.” That is my prayer for them.

Another very exciting change is that John has decided to join us February 9th. He will be facilitating a team from Grace Bible Church in Portland (combined with others as well) - and instead of returning "home" on February 18th, he will simply stay here with us. And the adventure will begin anew! This change is good for me ... good for the boys ... but harder on John. He will now have to get our taxes in order, finish packing, continue working ... but once he steps on the plane, he will probably feel a sense of relief ... ready to rest, and happy for the effort.

The pace is slow here, and though I'm not used to it I have to say that it's not too bad to be able to rest. The weather is warm but not unbearably hot (yet). There is nothing to complain about, and no remedy if I would.

Hopefully, next post will be a picture of two young guys getting off a bus after traveling 9 hours to Managua (ugh!) and running toward my camera. I hope to get that shot and show it to you next.

Stand by! Dios te bendiga.

The day is here ...

I'm taking the red-eye to Nicaragua ... and will not see John or Louie for a month. I am anxious to post a picture of Nahum and Gener when I first see them, but until then ... here's Louie, the fourth "guy" in our family. There has been much "conversation" and questions about the little guy so I thought you might like to see him, hiding here in a shopping bag. He will love the weather in Nica, as he's a "heat seeking missle" and Oriental Shorthairs are known for loving the heat. It will be fun when we're all together again. Me and four "guys" ... great odds I think. BTW, our car sold - my brother bought it - Thank you, Lord!